Who is responsible for twins?

However, for a given pregnancy, only the mother's genetics matter. Fraternal twins happen when two eggs are simultaneously fertilized instead of just one. A father's genes can't make a woman release two eggs.

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Are twins determined by mother or father?

For a given pregnancy, the odds of conceiving fraternal twins are only determined by the mother's genetics, not the father's. Fraternal twins happen when two eggs are simultaneously fertilised instead of just one.

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Who is responsible for making identical twins?

Monozygotic (MZ) twins, also called identical twins, occur when a single egg cell is fertilized by a single sperm cell. The resulting zygote splits into two very early in development, leading to the formation of two separate embryos.

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How is the twin gene passed down?

Yes, some types of twins are hereditary, meaning that twins run in families. Heredity on the mother's side ups a couple's odds of conceiving fraternal twins. Fraternal twins are two babies from two different eggs that were released from the ovaries simultaneously.

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What increases risk of twins?

Factors that increase the chance of twins include: consuming high amounts of dairy foods, being over the age of 30, and conceiving while breastfeeding. Many fertility drugs including Clomid, Gonal-F, and Follistim also increase the odds of a twin pregnancy.

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Everything You Need To Know About Fraternal and Identical Twins | Dr. Sarah Finch

35 related questions found

Can you have twins if they don't run in your family?

Everyone has the same chance of having identical twins: about 1 in 250. Identical twins do not run in families. But there are some factors that make having non-identical twins more likely: non-identical twins are more common in some ethnic groups, with the highest rate among Nigerians and the lowest among Japanese.

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What side of the family is responsible for twins?

However, since only women ovulate, the connection is only valid on the mother's side of the family. While men can carry the gene and pass it on to their daughters, a family history of twins doesn't make them any more likely to have twins themselves.

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What are my odds of having twins?

It's estimated that 1 in 250 pregnancies results in twins naturally, and there are two ways to conceive them.

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What causes twins in pregnancy?

Multiple pregnancy usually happens when more than one egg is fertilized. It also can happen when one egg is fertilized and then splits into 2 or more embryos that grow into 2 or more babies. When one fertilized egg splits into 2, the babies are called identical twins.

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How does twins run in the family?

Yes, some types of twins run in families. Non-identical (fraternal) twins tend to be hereditary. Some people inherit a gene that causes more than one egg to be released during ovulation, increasing the likelihood of multiples being conceived. This can make for lots of twins down the generations!

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What causes an egg to split into twins?

Several factors for causes of embryo splitting were suggested, including maternal age, prolonged embryo culture, ovarian stimulation, and zona pellucida (ZP) manipulation [6].

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Can twins be avoided?

Preventing multiple fetuses in a natural pregnancy is not possible. However, it is possible to prevent it even with assisted reproduction. The ovarian follicles when over-stimulated may release multiple eggs, which means there is a high chance of successful fertilization and a pregnancy thereafter.

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What age are you prone to twins?

According to the Office on Women's Health , women who are aged 30 years or older are more likely to conceive twins. The reason for this is that women of this age are more likely than younger women to release more than one egg during their reproductive cycle.

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How common is full term with twins?

A little more than half of twin pregnancies end in preterm delivery (before 37 weeks). While 40 weeks is the full gestation period of the average pregnancy, most twin pregnancies are delivered at approximately 36 weeks (range 32-38 weeks depending on the type of twin pregnancy).

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Do twins skip a generation?

Many people believe twins skip a generation, but that's just a myth. The idea that twins skip generations likely comes from the fact that the genetic factors contributing to twins only come from the gestational parent's side.

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What are the 3 types of twins?

Is there a third type? Traditionally, the science around twins has taught that identical and fraternal are the only two types. But a third type might exist, called polar body or half-identical twins.

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Can identical twins be different genders?

In 99.9% of cases boy/girl twins are non-identical. However, in some extremely rare cases resulting from a genetic mutation, identical twins from an egg and sperm which began as male (XY) can develop into a male / female pair.

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Do mothers of twins live longer?

For women born 1870-1899, moms of twins averaged reproductive spans of 14 years 11 months versus 14 years for singleton moms. Both results were statistically significant. Moms of twins also were older at the time of their last birth.

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Do twins live as long as normal people?

In fact, one British study tested ESP potential among identical twins and found that they were correct about 25% of the time, the same as any other siblings. There is one particular power though which twins possess, longevity. Fraternal twins live longer than singletons and identical twins longer still.

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Are you automatically high risk with twins?

Being pregnant with multiples doesn't necessarily mean that your pregnancy will be problematic. However, women carrying multiples do have a higher chance of developing complications such as high blood pressure and preterm labor. For this reason, all multiple pregnancies are considered high-risk.

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What is the safest way to give birth to twins?

As twins are often born prematurely, it's a good idea to discuss birth options with your midwife or doctor early in your pregnancy. You should also discuss where you would like to give birth. You will most likely be advised to give birth in a hospital because there's a higher chance of complications with a twin birth.

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How can I reduce my chances of having twins?

You can't eliminate the risks of a twin pregnancy, but there are steps you can take to reduce those risks.
...
Have a Healthy Twin Pregnancy
  1. Get regular prenatal care. ...
  2. Eat well. ...
  3. Stay hydrated. ...
  4. Don't put yourself on bed rest. ...
  5. Know the signs and symptoms of premature labor.

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Are twins less lonely?

Twins and other multiple-birth individuals can suffer from much deeper and troubling loneliness than single-born individuals. Separation anxiety, which often begins at birth, is the underlying cause of loneliness for twins.

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Do twins implant on the same day?

Superfetation is when a second, new pregnancy occurs during an initial pregnancy. Another ovum (egg) is fertilized by sperm and implanted in the womb days or weeks later than the first one. Babies born from superfetation are often considered twins since they may be born during the same birth on the same day.

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Can two sperms enter the same egg?

Occasionally, two sperm are known to fertilize a single egg; this 'double fertilization' is thought to happen in about 1% of human conceptions. An embryo created this way doesn't usually survive, but a few cases are known to have made it — these children are chimaeras of cells with X and Y chromosomes.

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